The Districts of Yerevan refers to administrative divisions of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. Yerevan is divided into twelve "administrative districts" (վարչական շրջաններ), each with an elected community leader. Each district is divided into unofficial neighborhoods (թաղամասեր or թաղեր). The total area of the 12 districts of Yerevan is . History Persian and Russian eras Main districts Since the 17th century, without the fortress and nearby villages (Noragyugh, Dzoragyugh and Nork), Yerevan was divided into three main quarters (mahlas; ): Shahar (The Old City), Demir-Bulagh (Karahank) Kond (Tapabash). The market (Ghantar) was separate, between Kond and Shahar. Shahar Shahar ( šahar) was the oldest and biggest quarter of Yerevan. It located in the north-eastern part of the city, between Amiryan St. and Khorenatsi St. It was, probably, populated since the Urartian times. During later centuries it was destroyed many times, but have always been populated. First time it was mentioned as old Yerevan or the old city of Yerevan by bishop Pilipos of Bjni in 1631: Kond Kond (), so-named because of its high position. It was also known as Tapabashi (Turkish: tepe - hill, baş - head, top; "top of the hill") during the Persian rule. Kond located in the western part of Yerevan. According to Hovhannes Shahkhatunyants, an Armenian historian, Kond located in the western and southern hillsides and foot of a rocky hill with similar name. Its western border was Hrazdan River, and the northern border was the Kozern Cemetery. Kond, similar to Shahar, was populated by Armenians. The population of Kond became multiethnic, when about 100 Armenian Boshas moved to Kond. Demir-Bulagh The third main quarter was Demir-Bulagh (Turkish: "demir" - iron, "bulağ" - source, meaning "iron source"') or Karahank (, meaning "rock quarry" referring to a quarry of tufa and basalt there). It located in the south-eastern Yerevan. This district was inhabited, comparatively, later than other districts. Firstly, a quarry located here and was not inhabited. Later, Karahank was inhabited with newcomer Tatars (Azerbaijanis) and became part of Yerevan forming a separate district. Demir-Bulagh become crowded in the 17th century, when terrified of the Persian invasions, many Turks from Nakhichevan moved to the areas north to the Yerevan Fortress. The majority of the population of the district were Muslims, few Armenians lived there. Ghantar (the market) Ghantar (, meaning "big scales in a marketplace", from , qinṭār) was the active and business center of Yerevan.